The Baltimore train station is getting its first major facelift in nearly four decades, an investment that railroad officials say will help move passenger trains throughout the busy corridor from Washington to New York.
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Renovation of the 110-year-old train hall began last month as part of a $150 million revamp that will include an extension of the concourse, two new train platforms, and dining and retail amenities to be completed by 2025. The improvements will double track capacity at the station, the eighth-busiest in the Amtrak network, and could precede a multibillion-dollar transformation of Union Station in the nation’s capital.
The Baltimore project is the first phase of a renovation for the train hub and its surroundings, signaling a revitalization for an area long defined by empty lots, busy highways and weathered buildings. It’s also expected to improve travel along the aging corridor, adding capacity to meet future demand as ridership increases two years into the coronavirus pandemic.
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Penn Station Partners, based in Baltimore, is working with Amtrak on the project to envision a modern train hub followed by at least $400 million in private investment to add housing, office space, restaurants and retail near the station in the coming years. Railroad and local officials say an upgraded station will raise Baltimore’s profile as a destination for residents, visitors and businesses.
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“This is a priority for Amtrak,” said Brian Traylor, the director of planning for major Amtrak stations. “It’s a historic station. It’s beautiful. It holds a very special place in the hearts of every Baltimorean” but “the building itself is not in a state of good repair.”
Owned by Amtrak, Penn Station is served by the railroad’s Northeast Regional and Acela trains. It is a major stop on Maryland’s commuter rail system, which carries passengers from Baltimore to Washington, and serves as a stop for a Baltimore Light RailLink line.
Amtrak is paying for the station improvements using federal grants for capital projects. The company received a $4 million state contribution and said the private developer will finance the commercial portion.
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Facade and interior improvements to the train hall are scheduled to begin this summer. That will include masonry repairs, window refurbishment, a new roof and work on the outdated mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems of the building.
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The concourse will be extended over the tracks to a vacant parking lot, where Amtrak will relocate ticketing and baggage areas to free up space for retail and other commercial uses. The expansion work at the parcel north of the tracks is expected to begin this fall and be completed in 2025.
Crews already are working to add two platforms for Amtrak and MARC commuter trains, essentially doubling capacity for passenger operations. Amtrak ridership nationwide is hovering between 60 percent and 75 percent of pre-pandemic levels, a rise in the weeks since the omicron variant disrupted a gradual recovery.
Amtrak said the work also will help to accommodate growth planned for its Acela service. With a new Acela fleet, the railroad’s flagship high-speed service is expected to increase train frequencies over the next decade. The new platforms will allow the Acela trains to bypass regional and commuter trains at the station.
Baltimore is one of several Amtrak stations in the Northeast Corridor, the backbone of the nation’s passenger rail infrastructure, that is in line for a major overhaul. It follows other projects to modernize aging infrastructure, including at stations that lack accessibility and amenities and haven’t seen upgrades in years.
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The 50-year-old passenger rail is pursuing an ambitious $75 billion expansion to bring trains to dozens of cities and towns across the nation. The infrastructure law passed last year put $66 billion into rail, which Amtrak plans to use for the expansion while tackling upgrades to tracks, tunnel, bridges and stations. The Penn Station project had already secured funding through Federal Railroad Administration grants before the law was passed.
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In its busiest market, Amtrak opened Moynihan Train Hall, a $1.6 billion extension of Penn Station in New York last year. The facility, with 92-foot-high skylights, has dining and shopping options, and lounge space with amenities for first-class passengers. South of New York, the company is advancing a $400 million redevelopment of the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia.
In Washington, a proposal for a multibillion-dollar expansion and overhaul of Union Station would add concourses and tracks, more retail options, a new train hall, and modern parking and bus facilities. The proposed expansion, at least a $10 billion private and public investment, calls for a transformation of the nation’s second-busiest rail hub by 2040.
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The Federal Railroad Administration temporarily halted its analysis of the proposed redevelopment a year ago to revise key parts of the plan, notably a parking garage planned as part of the overhaul. The agency is expected to resume the process this year, although it is unclear how soon such a costly project could move forward with no significant funding secured.
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“We need to refocus on Washington Union Station and get that project off the sidelines and moving forward. We can look to Baltimore as an example of what’s possible with the private sector and the public sector working hand-in-hand,” said Joe McAndrew, vice president of government affairs at the Greater Washington Partnership, a group of corporate executives who advocate for transportation investments from Baltimore to Richmond.
The infrastructure improvements in Baltimore, McAndrew said, have the potential to spur growth and economic development in Charm City. The addition of office and housing around the station could lure companies to Baltimore, where they would have access to job candidates from across the greater Washington region with an easier transportation option.
The building’s three upper floors, which have been vacant for decades, will be restored and converted into shared office space, which project officials say would target start-ups and entrepreneurs in a post-pandemic environment. The office space restoration is expected to be completed next year, according to Penn Station Partners, a joint venture of Beatty Development Group and Cross Street Partners.
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Tim Pula, vice president of community development at Beatty Development Group, said the redeveloped Baltimore train station also will add restaurants, coffee shops and retail, an improvement over the current offerings of two cafes and a news stand.
“One of our desires is really for this location to be much more than just a place for people riding trains,” Pula said. “We really do see it as a place for the community. A place that people go to get a meal or to meet friends for a drink or attend events at the plaza in front of the train station.”
As part of the agreement with Amtrak, Penn Station Partners also will develop parcels around the station, including for luxury apartments. Pula also said adding multifamily housing near the train stop will bring vibrancy while providing housing in high demand. “There are folks out there that see the value of living in a place that is not as expensive to live in as some of our neighboring metropolitan areas,” he said.
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In a statement, the office of Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott (D) said the city supports more transit-oriented development and investments in rail. He said his administration is seeking more federal support for Amtrak and is asking the state to prioritize investing in rail infrastructure in the city. “Penn Station is a vital transportation hub for residents and visitors of Baltimore, and its redevelopment is an essential piece to improving the City’s overall transportation infrastructure,” he said.
A rail tunnel is the bottleneck between Washington and New Jersey
South of Penn Station, Amtrak plans to replace the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel in the next decade at a cost of $4 billion, which would eliminate a major bottleneck for Amtrak, MARC trains and commercial rail traffic in the Northeast. Also nearby, CSX is working to expand the 8,700-foot Howard Street Tunnel, which runs beneath Baltimore and is critical to expanding capacity for freight transportation in the Interstate 95 corridor.
Penn Station last had a major renovation in 1984. Today, fences are up and crews are working to restore an unused platform, among the first priorities before moving to other projects in and around the station. It will be a construction zone for three years, but Amtrak officials said the work is not expected to affect train operations.